Spring fired explosively actuated tool



1366- 1952 R. TEMPLE ETAL SPRING FIRED EXPLOSIVELY ACTUATED TOOL 3Sheets-Sheet =l Filed April 5, 1950 INVENTORJ- Posse?" TEMPLE, ie/vssrf.Emma 5, 2- BY dose/ H L.GZBL. [9W ,/utodlavw, v- M M,

their Dec. 23, I R TEMPLE ETAL I SPRING FIRED EXPLOSIVELY ACTUATED TOOLFiled April 5, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR-S.

Po'eger TEMPLE, ERNESTE. 72(7PLE,& BY dassPH L. GIfiBEL.

Dec. 23, TEMPLE ETAL SPRING FIRED EXPLOSIVELY ACTUATED TOOL Filed April5, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Dec. 23, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE SPRING FIRED EXPLOSIVELY ACTUATED TOOL ware Application April 5,1950, Serial No. 154,104

(Cl. 1-i"l) 11 Claims.

This invention relates to explosively actuated tools that may be usedfor driving studs and the like, and more particularly to such tools provided with safety mechanism to prevent accidental discharge.

In my Patent No. 2,479,431 a driving tool is shown in which theexplosive cartridge that furnishes the driving power is detonated bypushing the tool forward around the barrel to press a firing pin againstthe cartridge. The firing pin normally is retracted so that if thebarrel is pushed back into the tool accidentally, as might happen if thetool were dropped and landed on either end, the cartridge will notstrike the firing pin. The firing pin has to be advanced manually beforethe cartridge can be detonated, whereby a safety mechanism is provided.It has been found that in some cases the users of that patented toolpush the firing pin against the cartridge so slowly that the pin merelyindents the percussion cap without detonating it. The car" tridge thenbecomes a dud and has to be re placed.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide an explosivelyactuated driving tool of the sliding barrel type disclosed in my patent,in which the firing pin will always be driven against the cartridge athigh speed regardless of how slowly the tool is pushed forward aroundthe barrel, but in which the driving means for the firing pin cannot actwhile the safety mechanism is in effect.

In accordance with this invention a breechblock is slidably mounted in abarrel guard which is in the form of a sleeve projecting from the frontof a stock that can be held in the hand. The breec'nblock, which has anaxial passage through it, is urged forward in the sleeve by a spring.Connected with the front end of the breechblocl: is a barrel whichprojects from the guard. A rod projects axially from the front end ofthe stock in line with the breechblock passage, and a firing pin isslidably connected to the front end of the rod and projects forward fromit. The pin is adapted to be driven forward in the breechblock passageto detonate an explosive cartridge held against the front of the block.fhe pin is urged forward relative to the rod by means of a coil spring.The tool is provided with means movable rearward in the sleeve by meansof the breechhlocli for compressing the coil spring a predeterminedamount. Means also is provided for releasing the coil spring when thespring-compressing means is moved farther back after compression of thespring has been stopped.

This allows the coil spring to expand and snap Preferably, "thespring-compressing forward. means includes radially expansible meanscarried by the breechblock and engaging a shoulder over which theexpansible means slips when rearward movement of the shoulder isstopped. When the tool is provided with the safety mechanism disclosedin my above-mentioned patent, the firing pin rod is threaded in thestock and normally is retracted therein to keep the pin from projectingthrough the breechblock passage in case .the block is accidentallypushed rearward in the sleeve by the barrel to firing position. Aturning member is connected to the rod for turning it manually in onedirection so as to screw it forward in the stock opening a.predetermined distance sufiicient to project the pin through the passagewhen the breechblock is in firing position. When the turning member isreleased, the rod is automatically turned in the opposite direction toreturn it to its retracted position. The stop, which limits compressionof the coil spring, may be retracted with the rod so that the compressedcoil spring will not be released if the rod has not been advanced intofiring position.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig.1 is a plan view of the tool; Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectionthereof, taken on the line IIII of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a transversesection taken on the line III-III of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an enlarged crosssection taken on the line IVIV of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a view similar toFig. 2, showing the firing pin spring fully compressed just before it isreleased; Fig. 6 is a view like Fig. 5, showing the firing pin drivenahead into firing position; Fig. '7 is an enlarged fragmentarylongitudinal section through the firing pin assembly shown in Fig. 2;Fig. 8 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through a modification ofthis invention; Fig. 9 is a fragmentary longitudinal section showing thefiring pin spring fully compressed just before it is released; 10- is anenlarged side view of the firing spring compressor shown in the firstembodiment of the invention; and Fig. 11 is a longitudinal sectionthrough the spring compressor taken on the line XIXI of Fig. 10.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings, the stock is in the form of aD-handle provided with a hand grip l. Opposite the grip the stock has aforwardly projecting portion 2 extending into the rear end of a sleeve 3that is held in place by a screw t and that forms a guard for a barrel6. The barrel is slidably mounted in the sleeve 3 and has its rear end.screwed into a sliding breechblock I that has a deep socket 8 in itsrear end for receiving a coil spring 9 that urges the block away fromthe stock. Forward movement of the breechblock is limited by a cap screwll projecting from the top of the block into a slot [2 extendinglengthwise of the sleeve.

The rear end of the axial bore I3 through the barrel is adapted toreceive a cartridge 14, the rim of which is clamped between the rear endof the barrel and the breechblock. Preferably, the front end of thecartridge is crimped over the rear portion of a piston member I6 that isfrictionally connected to the rear end of a stud I! for supporting thestud centrally in the barrel. The stud is shaped for the purpose forwhich it is intended, the one shown having a threaded rear end. Thefront end of the barrel is formed by a muzzle block I8 provided with abore [9 that is slightly smaller than the one through the rest of thebarrel so that piston [6 will be stopped by the block as the stud leavesthe barrel. Barrels with different size bores for studs of differentdiameters are interchangeable with the one shown. When a barrel is beingscrewed into or out of the breechblock, the latter is prevented by capscrew II from rotating.

The breechblock l is provided with an axial passage 2|, through which afiring pin 22 can be projected for detonating cartridge I 4. The firingpin discharges the cartridge when the barrel guard 3 is pushed forward apredetermined distance around the barrel. However, simply pushing thebarrel back into the guard (or pushing the guard down over the barrel)will not detonate the cartridge, because it first is necessary to movethe firing pin forward from an inoperative or safety position to anoperative position. Accordingly, as shown in Fig. '7, the firing pin 22extends from the front end of a socket 23 that receives the front end ofa rod 24 screwed into a threaded opening 26 extending through the stockportion 2 in line with breechblock passage 2|. The rod projects fromboth ends of the stock opening. A short distance from its front end therod is provided with an annular recess 21 of a length that will permitthe pin socket 23 to he slid back and forth on the rod the desiredamount. The portion of the rod in front of the recess slides. in aspacing ring 23, and the recessed portion of the rod is encircled by asplit lock ring 29. The lock ring is clamped against the spacing ring bya coupling screw 31. This construction permits the pin socket to bemoved back and forth on the rod a short distance without ever separatingfrom it.

The firing pin is urged forward relative to the rod by means of a collar32 slidably mounted on the rod and pressed forward by a coil spring 33compressed between it and a trip ring 34 which also is slidably mountedon the rod. The trip ring normally engages a stop washer 33 engaging thefront end of the stock. slidably mounted in this washer behind the tripring is a shoulder 31 with which the rod is provided and which willengage the trip ring 34 and move it forward in the washer when the rodis screwed forward in the stock.

The inoperative or safety position of the firing pin is one in which thepin, although pushed forward on the rod by spring 33, is held retractedfar enough by the rod to prevent it from projecting past the front endof breechblock passage'2l even if the barrel is pushed back in the guardsleeve as far as it wiil go. position of the firing pin is shown in Fig.2. In

This safety order to move the firing pin forward into firingposition, alever or arm 38 is rigidly mounted on the projecting rear end of rod 24.By swinging the arm to turn the rod the latter will be screwed forwardthrough the stock far enough for the pin toproject a short distance pastthe front end of the breechblock passage when the barrel guard is pushedforward. The position to which the arm can be swung manually is shown inbroken lines in Fig. 3, and in full lines in Figs. 5 and 6. A stopmember 39 is fastened permanently in the stock in the path of both endsof the arm to limit the distance that the arm can be turned in eitherdirection to only that necessary forjmoving the pin into and out offiring position. The moment the operator releases the arm, the pin isautomatically returned to its retracted inoperative position by means ofa spring 40 coiled around the rear end of the rod in front of the arm.One end of the spring is anchored in a slot in the stock, while theother end projects into a hole in the arm. This torsional spring is putunder such tension when the arm is swung manually to firing positionthat it will automatically swing the arm back to its original position,shown in full lines in Figs. 2 and 3, when released.

Mounted in breechblock socket 8 is a firing spring compressor formed infour parts, as shown in Figs. 2, 4, 10 and 11. Two of the parts 42 and43 form segments of a hollow cylinder, with their side edges spacedapart. The front ends of these members are recessed and fit around aretaining ring 44 which has rearwardly extending cars 45 that projectbetween the side edges of the segmental members. The front ends of thesegmental members are encircled by a spring clip 41. Near their rearends the insides of the segmental members are provided with arcuateshoulders 48 which are tapered in cross section. These shoulders areadapted to engage a tapered shoulder 49 on firing collar 32 when it ismoved forward toward the barrel. Further forward movement of the rod 24through the firing collar 32 will cause the firing spring 33 to becompressed, as shown in Fig. 5. As long as the fir ing rod is inretracted safety position the en gaging shoulders 48 and 49 will merelycompress the firing spring until the rear end of the breechblock isstruck by stop washer 33.

On the other hand, if, as shown in Fig. 5, the firing rod is screwedforward by turning arm 38, the shoulder 31 on the rod will move tripring 34 forward so that the ring will strike the firing collar 32 beforethe stop washer 36 strikes the breechblock. Just as the firing spring iscompressed its full amount, the firing pin, which has enteredbreechblock passage 2|, engages the rear end of the cartridge. It doesnot detonate the cartridge at thi's'time, however, because it does notengage it with any force. Instead, after the trip ring 34 engages firingcollar 32, the rod 24 moves forward relative to the stationary pin 22.This forward movement of the firing rod in the firing pin socket 23causes the shoulder 49 on the firing collar to expand the springcompressor and slide past its shoulders 48, which is permitted by thefact that the segmental memhere 42 and 43 are anchored only at theirfront ends and only by spring clip 41 which permits their rear ends tobe forced apart. When the spring compressor is expanded in this way, thefiring collar is released and will be driven by the firing spring 32forward with considerable force against the firing pin socket 23, whichthereby is driven forward on rod 24 to cause the firing pin to penetrateand detonate the percussion cap in the rear end of the cartridge, asshown in Fig. 6.

This tool is used as follows. After the barrel of the tool has beenloaded with a stud and cartridge and has been screwed into thebreechblock, the front end of the barrel is placed against the objectinto which the stud is to be driven. One hand can grip the barrel guard3 while the other hand grips the hand grip I. A thumb or finger of thelatter hand then is used to swin arm 38 clockwise as far as it will go.This screws firing rod 2:3 ahead into operative position. The handlethen is pushed forward, either fast or slowly, to push the guard sleeveover the barrel as far as it will go. During this operation the firingmechanism first takes the position shown in Fig. 5 and then the positionshown in Fig. 6. When the cartridge is discharged, the piston 56 andstud are driven forward in the barrel, but the piston is stopped bymuzzle cap it while the stud continues to move forward into the objectagainst which the barrel muzzle has been placed. Arm 38 then can bereleased, and the torsion spring All will return it to its originalposition in which the firing pin 22 will be retracted far enough so thatit cannot detonate the next cartridge until the arm again is swung bythe operator clockwise against stop 39. In this way a safety is providedfor the tool which prevents it from being discharged accidentally. Assoon as the tool is removed from the work, spring Q will force thebreechblock and barrel forward in the guard sleeve again. This spring isstrong enough to pull compressor shoulders 68 over firing collarshoulder 59 so that the firing spring compressor can return to theposition shown in Fig. 2.

In the modification shown Figs. 8 and 9, the rear end of the breechblockis! is provided with a longer tubular extension than in Fig. 2. A coilspring 53 encircles the extension and is compressed between a washer 54mounted thereon and a stop washer 55 engaging the front of the stock 2.In front of washer 5d the tubular extension of the breechblock isprovided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced radial holes inwhich plugs 57 are slidably mounted. These plugs are urged inward by asurrounding spring retaining ring 58. Their rounded inner ends normallyengage the outer surface of a tubular socket member 59 in front of anannular shoulder (ill with which the socket is provided. Screwed intothe front end of the socket member is a firing pin 62, while the smallerrear end of the socket is slidably mounted on a reduced portion of afiring rod 53 threaded in an axial opening 26 in the stock. The frontend of the rod has a head 64 to prevent the socket member from escapingfrom it. ihe socket member and firing rod are assembled by slipping therod and its head 64 sideways into the socket through a slot 54a in itsside wall, and then a cap 65 is placed over the head to prevent it fromsliding out through the slot. A coil spring 86 inside the socket iscompressed between the firing pin and the cap 65 to normally hold thepin and socket member in advanced position on the rod.

When guard sleeve 3 is pushed forward around barrel 6, socket member 5:?is held stationary by the engagement of its shoulder Gil with plugs 57,but firing rod 3 moves forward in the socket member and therebycompresses firing spring 66 in the socket. If the firing rod is inretracted position, as shown in Fig. 8, the rear ends of the socket andbreechblock will strike stop washer at the same time and nothing willhappen. On the other hand, if the firing rod has been screwed ahead inthe stock by turning arm 33 to the position shown in Fig. 9, a shoulder6'! on the rod will strike the rear end of the socket member 59 beforethe stop washer engages the breechblock extension. Continued rearwardmovement of the breechblock (or forward movement of the stock) willcause the socket shoulder to force plugs 51 outward until the shouldercan slip forward past them. The firing spring then will drive the socketmember and firing pin forward, and the pin will detonate the cartridgel4. When the barrel and arm 33 are released, the outer spring 53 willpush the breechblock forward with suflicient force to push the plugsforward over shoulder 60 to their normal position in front of it.

With either of these tools, the speed or force with which the barrel andguard sleeve are telescoped is immaterial, because it is the firingspring that drives the firing pin into the cartridge. That spring ismade strong enough. to guarantee detonation every time.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, we have explainedthe principle of our invention and have illustrated and described whatwe now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, we desire tohave it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, theinvention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustratedand described.

We claim:

1. An explosively actuated driving tool comprising a stock, a sleeveprojecting rigidly from the front of the stock, a breechblock slidablymounted in the sleeve and provided with an axial passage therethrough, aspring between the stock and breechblock urging the breechblock forwardin the sleeve, a barrel connected with the front end of the breechblockand projecting from the sleeve, the stock being movable forward towardthe barrel manually against the resistance of said spring, a rod carriedby the stock and projecting axially from the front end of it in linewith said breechblock passage, a firing pin slidably connected to thefront end of the rod and projecting forward therefrom, said pin beingadapted to be driven forward in said passage to detonate an explosivecartridge, means including a coil spring behind the pin urging the pinforward relative to the rod, the rear end of the coil spring beingmovable forward with the stock toward the barrel, means supported by thebreechblock for arresting forward movement of the front end of the coilspring while the stock is being moved forward toward the barrel tocompress said coil spring a predetermined amount, and means releasingthe front end of the coil spring when forward movement of said stock iscontinued after the coil spring has been compressed said predeterminedamount.

2. An explosively actuated driving tool comprising a stock, a sleeveprojecting rigidly from the front of the stock, a breechblock slidablymounted in the sleeve and provided with an axial passage therethrough, aspring between the stock and breechblock urging the breechblock forwardin the sleeve, a barrel connected with the front end of the breechblockand projecting from the sleeve, the stock being movable forward towardthe barrel manually against the resistance of said spring, a rod carriedby the stock and projecting axially from the front end of it in linewith said breechblock passage, a firing pin slid- 7. An explosivelyactuated driving tool comprising a stock, a sleeve projecting rigidlyfrom the front of the stock, a breechblock slidably mounted in thesleeve and provided with an axial passage therethrough, a spring betweenthe stock and breechblock urging the breechblock forward in the sleeve,a barrel connected with the front end of the breechblock and projectingfrom the sleeve, the stock being movable forward toward the barrelmanually against the resistance of said spring, a rod carried by thestock and projecting axially from the front end of it in line with saidbreechblock passage, a firing pin slidably connected to the front end ofthe rod and projecting forward therefrom, said pin being adapted to bedriven forward in said passage to detonate an explosive cartridge, acollar slidably mounted on the rod behind the pin, a coil springencircling the rod and urging the collar forward to push the pin forwardon the rod, a plurality of transversely arcuate members supported by thebreechblock, a retaining element encircling the front ends of saidmembers, the rear ends of said members being provided with radialprojections on their inner surfaces for engagement by the front of thecollar when the stock is moved forward to compress the coil spring, anda trip member movable forward with the stock for striking the collarwhile said stock continues to move forward, said members being adaptedto be moved outward by the collar when it is struck by said forwardlymoving trip member, whereby the collar will slip forward past saidprojections and be driven forward on the rod by means of the coilspring.

8. An explosively actuated driving tool comprising a stock, a sleeveprojecting rigidly from the front of the stock, a breechblock slidablymounted in the sleeve and provided with an axial passage therethrough, aspring between the stock and breechblock urging the breechblock forwardin the sleeve, a barrel connected with the front end of the breechblockand projecting from the sleeve, the stock being movable forward towardthe barrel manually against the resistance of said spring, a rod carriedby the stock and projecting axially from the front end of it in linewith said breechblock passage, a socket member slidably mounted on therod and projecting forward from it, a firing pin carried by the frontend of the socket member, said pin being adapted to be driven forward insaid passage to detonate an explosive cartridge, a coil spring in thesocket compressed between the firing pin and the rod, a radialprojection on the outer surface of the socket member, means supported bythe breechblock for engaging said projection to hold said memberstationary while said rod is moved forward by the stock toward thebarrel to compress the coil spring in the socket, and a stop movableforward with the rod to engage the socket member, said holding meansbeing yieldable radially so as to permit the stop to push the socketmember past said means after the stop strikes the socket member, wherebythe coil spring will expand and drive the socket member and firing pinforward.

9. An explosively actuated driving tool comprising a stock, a sleeveprojecting rigidly from the front of the stock, a breechblock slidablymounted in the sleeve and provided with an axial passage therethrough, aspring between the stock and breechblock urging the breechblock forwardin the sleeve, a barrel connected with the front end of the breechblockand projecting from the sleeve, the stock being movable forward towardthe barrel manually against the resistance of said spring, a rod carriedby the stock and projecting axially from the front end of it in linewith said breechblock passage, a socket member slidably mounted on therod and projecting forward from it, a firing pin carried by the frontend of the socket member, said pin being adapted to be driven forward insaid passage to detonate an explosive cartridge, a coil spring in thesocket compressed between the firing pin and the rod, a shoulderencircling the socket member, the breechblock being provided with arearwardly extending tubular extension provided with radial holesthrough it, plugs slidably mounted in said holes and projecting fromtheir inner ends in front of said shoulder, whereby when the sleeve ispushed forward around the breechblock the plugs will hold the socketmember stationary and the coil spring will be compressed in the socket,a stop movable forward with the stock to engage the socket member whilesaid stock continues to move forward, and resilient means urging theplugs inward and adapted to yield to permit the plugs to be movedoutward by said shoulder when the socket member is struck .by saidforwardly moving stop, whereby the shoulder will slip forward past theplugs and allow the socket member and firing pin to be driven forward bythe expanding coil spring.

10. An explosively actuated driving too] comprising a stock, a sleeveprojecting rigidly from the front of the stock, a breechblock slidablymounted in the sleeve and provided with an axial passage therethrough, aspring between the stock and breechblock urging the breechblock forwardin the sleeve, a barrel connected with the front end of the breechblockand projecting from the sleeve, the stock being movable forward towardthe barrel manually against the resistance of said spring and beingprovided with a threaded opening in line with said passage, a rodthreaded in said opening and projecting from its front end, a firing pinslidably connected to the front end of the rod and projecting forwardtherefrom, said pin being adapted to be driven forward in said passageto detonate an explosive cartridge, said rod normally being retracted insaid opening to keep said pin from projecting through said passage incase the stock and breechblock are accidentally moved toward each othertoward firing position, a collar slidably mounted on the rod behind thepin, a coil spring encircling the rod and urging the collar forward topush the pin forward on the rod, means supported by the breechblockadapted to be engaged by said collar to hold the collar stationary whilethe stock is moved forward toward the barrel to compress the coilspring, a turning member for said rod adapted to be turned manually inone direction for screwing the rod forward in said threaded opening apredetermined distance so that said l in can project through saidpassage when the breechblock is in firing position, a trip membermovable forward by the rod to engage the stationary collar, said meansbeing yieldable radially so as to permit said collar to pass said meansafter said trip member strikes the collar, and means operativeautomatically when said turning member is released for turning said rodin the opposite direction to return it to its retracted position.

11. An explosively actuated driving tool comprising a stock, a sleeveprojecting rigidly from the front of the stock, a breechblock slidably11 mounted in the sleeve and provided with an axial passagetherethrough, a spring between the stock and breechblock urging thebreechblock forward in the sleeve, a barrel connected with the front endof the breechblock and projecting from the sleeve, the stock beingmovable forward toward the barrel manually against the resistance ofsaid spring and being provided with a threaded opening in line with saidpassage, a rod threaded in said opening and projecting from its frontend, a socket member slidably mounted on the rod and projecting forwardfrom it, a firing pin carried by the front end of the socket member, acoil spring in the socket compressed between the firing pin and the rod,said pin being adapted to be driven forward in said passage to detonatean explosive cartridge, said rod normally being retracted in saidopening to keep said pin from projecting through said passage in casethe stock and breechblock are accidentally moved toward each othertoward firing position, a radial projection on the outer surface of thesocket member, means supported by the breechblock for engaging saidprojection to hold said member stationary while said rod is movedforward by the stock toward the barrel to compress the coil spring inthe socket, a turning member for said rod adapted to be turned manuallyin one direction for screwing the rod forward in said threaded opening apredetermined distance so that said pin can project through said passagewhen the breechblock is in firing position, the rod being provided withan abutment movable forward with the rod to engage the socket member,said means being yieldable radially so as to permit said projection topass said means after the socket member is struck by said abutment, andmeans operative automatically when said turning member is released forturning said rod in the opposite direction to return it to its retractedposition.

ROBERT TEMPLE. ERNEST E. TEMPLE. JOSEPH L. GIEBEL.

No references cited.

